Water crisis threatens New Zealand’s cities
Like many parts of Australia, New Zealand is currently experiencing a La Niña summer. Although this summer’s projected rainfall should keep Auckland’s water supply levels sustainable in the short term, Wellington could be running dry within the next six years.
Home is where we started
Like Trump claiming yet again he won’t vacate the White House, 2020 is throwing another temper tantrum. And while we may hear in the next few days that’s all it is – a small(ish) outbreak exclusive to the Northern Beaches – we are back to where we started in March. At home.
Contactless preferred
The transition to going cash-free was supercharged this year. “An ATM machine,” we eye-roll, “who even bothers?” But what if spare change was your main source of income? Charities, buskers and beggars angling for gold-coin donations are now missing out on vital support.
Reforms needed to protect ancient sites
The destruction of 46,000-year-old rock shelters at Juukan Gorge in Western Australia in July has shown there’s a serious flaw in our heritage protection laws. Without urgent and drastic reform, it will only be a matter of time until another ancient site is allowed to be destroyed.
Tasmanian devils surviving their own pandemic
For the past 30 years, Tasmanian devils have suffered from their own pandemic, a facial cancer that causes large facial tumours and spreads through biting. Now, new genetic analysis reveals the disease is less infectious than a decade ago. And that is just the news we’ve been waiting for.
Ending child Exploitation
Before you throw a few Christmas-themed boxes of chocolates in your shopping trolley, consider this: 20 years ago, the world’s major chocolate producers pledged to stamp out child exploitation. Today, two million kids in West Africa still work in slave-like conditions. Here’s what brands to get behind this Christmas.
Immigration detention concerns deepen
Asylum seekers are held in detention for longer than ever before and far longer than any comparable country. While Australia gets ready for a Christmas out of lockdown, Kopika and Tharunicaa will be facing the festivities in detention – ironically, on Christmas Island.
Why are more women doing time?
More women in Australia are going to prison than ever before. Over the past 10 years, there’s been a 75% increase in incarceration rates. Are women suddenly committing more serious crimes or have laws and policing practices changed so that minor crimes are more heavily penalised?
Australia after COVID-19
Low case numbers and a vaccine underway mean Australia is taking a collective (but tentative) sigh of relief. Whatever “normal” used to look like, we want it back in 2021. But what about the knock-on effects of this truly diabolical year? Well, some are good, some not so much…
Australian philanthropists running out of money
A group of Australian philanthropists are running out of money. And that’s exactly what they want. Spending big and fast to fight climate change, they are hoping to make a difference during the critical next 10 years and change the course of the impending crisis.
